Here is a simple tip about doing business with the government. Government agencies are risk adverse – they are not going to take a chance on companies that don’t have a proven track record of experience with contracts/projects of similar size, scope and complexity. Similarly, government agencies will not do business with companies that don’t have adequate resources to support contracts. So, stop taking shots on contracts you are not going to win, and focus exclusively on the contracts that are a good fit for your company.
We advocate the use of a GO/NO GO process where you develop an ideal profile of government projects/agencies that you are most likely to win. We also recommend teaming/subcontracting and joint ventures as a way of increasing capacity in areas where your company may lack experience or resources. Government contracting is a marathon – not a race, it takes time (often years) to develop the foundation, expertise and cashflow to become successful in the government contracting arena.
